Preservation involves a complex of activities including climate, air-quality, and surface control, as well as microbiological control, which is a key part of preserving and protecting library collections. The Preservation and Protection of Library Collections examines microbiological control for preservation of library and archival collections. A supporting tool for conservators, this title should be integrated into conservation and preservation policy. The book comprises nine sections that cover three aspects: microbiology, surveying, and the response required. Chapters in this title cover the nature of the library collections, physical and chemicals factors and their impact on microbiological issues, as well as biological factors and methods of microbiological control of the air and objects. Later chapters examine methods of object disinfection, disaster response, methods of microbiological control and evaluation of collections, and includes a vocabulary guide, appendices, literature information and references.

Table of Contents:
List of figures List of tables About the author 1: Introduction Abstract Introductory remarks Who and how they may benefit from this book The nature of library collections The climate and its impact on microbiological conditions of the library collection Biological factors Overview of the book How to use this book 2: Short mould review Abstract Statistics of moulds isolated at the National Library of Poland Fungi from the National Library in experiments for my MSc thesis in Biology Daily work with fungi in the National Library at the present day A final comment on the presented quick methods of identification of the genera of moulds Conclusions 3: Methods of microbiological control of the air Abstract Introduction Methods Fungi Evaluation of the microbiological condition of the room – interpretation of the results Counteractions Conclusions 4: Methods of microbiological control of objects Abstract Evaluation and qualifying of objects for sampling Sampling spots selection Sampling – general Impress sampling with sterile pieces of Whatman filtration paper Sampling with swabs: transferring material from swabs to dishes with medium further work Conclusions and results – classes of objects returned for regular activity Disinfection of individual objects on the grounds of sampling results Conclusions 5: Methods of disinfection Abstract The idea of disinfection Disinfecting methods in Poland and other countries Practical use of PCMC Fungicidal efficiency of disinfection with PCMC in experiment Disinfection with radiation Practical use of ethylene oxide Conclusions 6: Methods of microbiological control and evaluation of the collections Abstract Why I adapted the Stanford method selection approach Selection of the objects Objects evaluations, conclusions, recommendations and further action Sample case study statistics of rooms and entire collections Conclusions 7: Experiment on moulds and papers with application in conservation and preservation Abstract Introduction to a sample experiment Defining procedure of experiment The experiment Results and conclusions Discussion The efficiency of the researched methods in practice and literature Conclusions 8: Disaster response Abstract General consideration Conclusions 9: Overall conclusions 10: Appendices Appendix 10.1 The structure of the National Library of Poland Appendix 10.2 Photo-manual of air sampling Appendix 10.3 Photo-manual of contact sampling – general Appendix 10.4 Photo-manual of contact sampling – impress Appendix 10.5 Photo-manual contact sampling – swab Appendix 10.6 Instruction defining the working time organization and use of Petri dishes by conservators (the library description of posts in conservation department) performing the microbiological analyses of the air and the objects in microbiological laboratory Appendix 10.7 Supplementary (there is a producer’s one) instructions of operating the ethylene oxide disinfection chamber of the National Library of Poland Activities not included in the producer’s manual of the disinfection chamber Appendix 10.8 Exemplary equipment and installations for a microbiological laboratory Appendix 10.9 The instructions of microbiological control of newly acquired objects coming to the National Library Appendix 10.10 Procedure for evaluating microbiological conditions of the library or archival collections Appendix 10.11 Procedure for the departments and other units of the National Library of transferring the objects for microbiological evaluation/sampling and conservation treatment Appendix 10.12 Instructions defining the methods of running documentation of microbiological evaluation and sampling of objects in the DepartmentLaboratory for Conservation of the Library Collections according to the applicable Office Instruction of the National Library Appendix 10.13 Chart of Microbiological Evaluation or Disinfection of the Object Appendix 10.14 Instructions for preparation of Czapek-Dox medium for use in the Conservation Laboratory-Department of the Library Collections Appendix 10.15 Creating procedures for immediate microbiological surveys of objects in the Krasiński Palace Appendix 10.16 A few practical remarks, tricks and tips 11: Institutions, resources, links and addresses The National Libraries 12.2 The National Archives Other on-line resources Glossary References and further reading Index